


It happened in a stormy night

by ReScripta



Category: Rango (2011)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-03
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:14:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 12,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22092388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReScripta/pseuds/ReScripta
Summary: When Rango wakes up in a stormy night because of shots outside of the town, he finds Bill unconsciously in the desert. But shortly after that, Bill disappears. Nobody cares but Rango can't forget a question: Is Bill dead or still alive?





	1. A stormy night

"A good feeling not to be dead," Rango thought and stretched his body exuberantly.

It was rather late and the city was almost half asleep. Even in the saloon the lights had gone out a long time ago. The night was starry, however outside it was far from pleasant. Since noon, a strong wind had blown over the area and had even intensified during the evening. Shivering, Rango pushed his shirt collar higher when a strong gust of wind made him shudder.

"Well, better a strong, unpleasant wind than dead," he said softly to himself. He was glad still breathing fresh air. "But it's even nicer in a warm bed."

With that in mind, he marched over to the sheriff's office, tore the door open quickly and closed it again as the wind blew all the sand into the room. After checking the windows, he got ready himself for the night. He doffed his boots, got undressed his shirt, jacket and pants, until he was only wearing his underwear. Then he washed his face and hands and crawled into bed. The bedside lamp stood beside him on a small table. He had no desire to read anything or anything like that today. As soon as he had prayed his head on the pillow, he immediately put out the light. With a deep sigh, he threw himself on his side and cuddled himself with comfort in the blanket.

Sometimes there was nothing better than being safe and content in the evening in a warm bed. He smiled mischievously. Preferably even as a couple, but unfortunately Beans was not in the city today, but at home on her ranch. After another deep breath, he relaxed his body, waiting to wander into the land of dreams finally where he could escape the reality for a moment. Who knows what he would dream this time.

His mental awareness to the environment blurred slowly and he saw images forming in his mind's eye. Suddenly he was horrified. Tired, he opened his eyes, but all what he was hearing was a strong gust of wind only, which was howling around the house. He yawned loudly. Quickly he closed his eyes again, so as not to miss the connection to his started sleep until he was fully awake. But then something caused him again to descend from the dream train.

He rested the elbows on the pillow. Somehow, he thought he had heard something outside, which did not sound so typical of the wind. It even sounded very distant. Like carried by the wind.

He closed his eyes and listened intently. Had he imagined it, or were there shots? He listened attentively to the silence again, but the sound seemed to have disappeared. Now only the wind was heard.

Again he had to yawn. Had he only dreamt? But it had not seemed like a dream. It had sounded like real. He could not have dreamed that, could he? He had heard gunfire the last few days. Also his own if he did shooting practice. Did the sound stick in his ears now?

Muttering, he lay on his back and closed his eyes again. But after a few minutes, he sighed and sat up again. The uncertainty did not give him any peace. And as a sheriff, it was his duty to make sure everything in the area was in order. And so, he stood up, though he thought it nonsense, knotted his clothes, nearly forgot to strap his revolver belt, and opened the door. Immediately the unpleasant, disgusting wind came towards him. After a nice sleep in bed, the wind outside was the purest cold shower.

Grumpily, he went outside, closed the door behind him, and walked up the street. Sullenly he stopped. How was he supposed to find out, if someone had fired, if he did not know where the avoidable shots came from? He looked around. Everything seemed the same as always. Except that this wind stirred up a lot of sand and made the road to an uncomfortable place to stay.

"Idiot," he mumbled. "Who should be outside at this time? Even with such weather? "

Then he had an idea. If he had heard the shots, then they must have come from the direction where the wind blew. Otherwise, he would hardly have heard them clearly. He wrapped his arms around his body, as it was getting cold and marched in the direction of the wind, passing through a side street that led him to the edge of the city. He gritted his teeth as another strong gust blew in his face and regretted that he left his bed.

With blinking eyes, he tried to see something in the darkness. But all he could see was swirling sand on the ground and a night without light. The moon was the only one that gave some light at least, but only so little that Rango could not possibly have seen anything in the distance. He growled softly.

"Why me?"

_Because you are the sheriff._

Sullen, Rango went straight ahead. As a precaution, he took his revolver and walked away meter by meter from the city. Could not he have taken a lantern? Damn, he had forgotten that.

He was startled when suddenly a huge shadow appeared in front of him. With a beating heart he breathed with relief when he realized that it was just a big cactus.

He shook his head disapprovingly.

"No reason to be afraid," he blamed himself.

He looked around. Behind the cactus, more cacti appeared. But no person or any other living thing was there.

"Tzs, ridiculous," he mumbled. "Totally ridiculous. I think your imagination runs riot."

Nevertheless, he circled the cacti and searched the environment again.

"Why didn't I ... AH!"

Startled, he backed away as his foot had touched something odd which didn't feel like a stone.

The sudden burst of adrenaline had made him wide awake now. With staring wide eyes and shaking hands, he looked ahead. The weapon ready to fire.

"Who is there?" He asked firmly.

But the creature, who lay on the floor next to the cactus, did not move.

 _A corpse, a corpse,_ it flashed through his mind. _You found a corpse!_


	2. In the darkness

After Rango had calmed down, he took a step forward. His eyes still focused on the creature.

"Relax. Always keep a level head," he thought.

He took a closer look at the person on the ground to see more details, which was not so easy because of the darkness and the weak moonlight. In addition, the person lay in the shadow of the cactus and made the investigation even more difficult.

"Okay, keep calm, don't panic," Rango murmured, taking the last few steps forward, always mindful that the person was only playing the dead man and could attack him anytime. He nudged the person gently with his foot and then he backed away immediately.

No sign of life. Maybe the shots from earlier were not fancy and someone was shot dead out here.

Rango swallowed. Were the perpetrators still nearby? It did not look like that. Rango gave a yank on himself. He should control whether the person was still alive. Otherwise, he would be guilty of denial of assistance.

Carefully, he knelt on the ground in front of the unknown person. Now he noticed details. The person was well built, almost a little obese, according to which animal it was. Some animals were thicker, others thinner by nature. Slowly, he reached out his hand to feel the pulse where he suspected the neck. He flinched as his fingertips touched cold skin. Groping, he searched the body. The skin was firm, probably reptile-like and scaly. It had to be a lizard. Examining, Rango felt the skin more closely. It was wavy, rather humpy. With more courage, because the person still did not move, his hand moved up to where the head was.

It was unpleasant for him to touch someone without permission. But in this case, it was a necessary investigation. Rango spread his fingers to find out how big the head was. The size scared him a little. The head was very big.

Rango slapped his face inwardly. The pulse! He wanted to feel the pulse!

Hastily his hand moved back to the neck. He pushed in several places, hoping to feel something pulsating.  
He winced. There! There was really a very slight movement under the skin.

He took his hand away, shaking it and pressing it again on the skin to make sure that it had not been his own heartbeat he had felt. Again he felt something. It was really a pulse. The person was not dead. At least not yet. But he did not even know how big the damage was.

He stood up quickly and walked thoughtfully around the person. He was very tall. Who was that and what was he doing here? Rango remembered something.

Stable side position! Maybe he could choke any moment.

With effort, Rango grabbed the giant lizard on the arm and bent it. He paused. That weight and that size of arm reminded him of someone. Casting all reason overboard, he felt the whole body now. He felt shirt, pants, shoes, thick lizard tail, massive face and ... a hat lying next to him.

Rango stared blankly at the person who lay in front of him and was not a secret to him anymore. The lizard in front of him was no one else than Bad Bill.

But why lay the villain of the city here? And why unconscious?

His hands wandered again about the Gila lizard. First, the upper body, and it was not long before Rango found what he was looking for when his palms touched something on Bill's stomach. Rango swallowed hard as he ran his fingers over a knife handle, which stuck in Bill's body.

He kept searching. His hands reached the legs. There he did not find a knife, but something damp on his left leg. Judging by the smell, he identified it as blood. Whether it came from bullets, or from the knife, he could not say, which was not so important at the moment. Whether he was a felon or not, he had to bring help. Immediately!

* * *

As fast as Rango's legs could carry him, he raced back to town. There he sprinted to Doc's house immediately. As soon as he reached the door, he hammered and kept ringing the doorbell. Even in a small town, it was customary to close the doors at night as a precaution. It took almost a minute before the door was finally opened and Doc was almost slayed by Rango's hands.

"Good that you are awake Doc," Rango babbled immediately.

The doctor yawned tiredly. "No wonder with the noise you are making. What's going on? Is it burning anywhere? "

"No, it isn't burning, just ... Bill is lying outside of the city. I suspect, seriously injured. You have to come immediately. "

"Bill?" Doc repeated in disbelief.

Rango nodded. "Yes, come on, come on."

* * *

Moments later, they were on their way to the place. Doc had spent no time to change his clothes, and had thrown a coat over and left the house with a doctor's bag.

"Over there," Rango said, pointing forward. "Next to the cactus."

They quickened their steps. "I think the second or third one... Exactly h ..."

Rango's sentence stuck in his throat. Instead of finding a senseless Gila lizard, the place was empty.

"Uh ... but ..." Rango looked confused. "But ... I do not understand that. He had been there, I'm absolutely sure. "

He turned to Doc. "Honestly, he had been here!"

Doc did not respond to his assurances and went around and searched the floor. He sniffed. He knew the smell of blood well enough that he had no doubt that someone would have lain there moments before. He picked something up off the floor.

It was Bill's hat.

"Do you have a guess where he could be?" The rabbit asked.

Rango scratched his head in irritation. "No ... not that I ... I mean ..."

"How long have you been away?"

"Just a few minutes. I ran to you from here after I found him. "

Doc nodded. "Enough time to run away."

"But he had been unconscious. How could he run away? "

Thoughtfully, the doctor scratched his chin. "There are two possibilities. Either he woke up in the meantime and dragged himself on, or ... someone took him away. "

Rango swallowed. "But where?"


	3. Where is Bad Bill?

With many questions in mind, Doc and Rango searched the area. But as hard as they tried, they couldn't find a track of Bill. Either they were looking in the wrong place or someone had really taken away the hated Gila Lizard. If the latter was true, who could that have been?

Rango was a little worried. Bill was no concern of him. He was neither directly related to him, nor did he like him well, but he felt a bit guilty about it yet. What if the person, who had taken him along, had also been the person, who had shot Bill? Then Bill might not have a good chance to get out of this alive. The knife was clearly a proof that it did not matter to him whether the lizard survived or not. Unless it was self-defense. Maybe it was Bill who had ambushed and attacked a person. At least this possibility was not completely excluded. But where did the person take him? Unlikely to a doctor, who lived nearly. Unless the person did not know that there was a city nearby. Did the person really want to eliminate Bill anywhere? Was Bill dead?

Groaning, Rango rubbed his temples. He really could not tolerate so many questions at the late evening hour. The fact was still the crucial question: Where was Bill?

"Mr. Rango," Doc reported. "In this way, we probably do not achieve anything. Not in this visibility."

Rango nodded. The wind had still not subsided and rendered a careful search impossible. "You can be right. But if he really got himself up, he'll hardly survive here. "

"Maybe he crawled to the city. That's possible. He is not so proud that he wants to die like that. Although Bill is a stubborn man, even in such a situation, he would consult a doctor. "

Rango nodded slowly. "You have a point there. Okay, we go back to town. But if he is not there, I'll set up a search party. "

To Rango's disappointment, Bill wasn't in town neither. Not even in front of Doc's house, which reinforced his suspicion that Bill was abducted and there were suspects more than enough. Bill had more enemies than friends, which meant he had no friends. Whether his people counted as friends was doubtful. You could more say, they were rather gang members, who wouldn't give him the shirt off their back, if their heads were in danger.

"Well, he's not here," Rango said to himself as they took a good look around the city.

"Well," said Doc and scratched his head nervously. "If he was really hurt as bad as you say, then I have not much hope for him."

Rango sighed and rubbed his temples.

Doc looked at him questioningly from the side. "What are you looking to do, Sheriff?"

Rango said nothing. Without a word he crossed his arms behind his back and paced back and forth thoughtfully the street. His eyes wandered to the clock tower. It was 1.15 in the morning.

Doc yawned loudly, but closed his mouth immediately.

Rango stopped and made a determined gesture.

"As a sheriff, I have a duty to resolve any social conflict with the law. Whether criminals or loyal citizens, everyone will be treated equally. "

"And what exactly does that mean?" Doc asked.

"That means I'll follow the track and find him."

Doc looked at him questioningly. "Which track?"

"Criminals always leave something behind at the scene of a crime. If no visible, then invisible traces. But at least a track. "

Doc shook his head slowly. "Maybe you'll try for nothing, and he's already dead."

"You can only say that, if we have his corpse. All I need now is someone who is perfect in reading of tracks."

With that they went through the city.

Bill breeds really only trouble, Rango thought sullenly. Whether directly or indirectly.

* * *

"Okay, people! I know it's late, and I apologize for that. But I bundled you out of bed because it's very important! "

"What's so important?", Spoons asked, still very sleepy and yawned loudly.

"Okay, I want to get right to the point. In the early hours of the morning, shots fell outside of the city. A fight or argument isn't excluded ... "

"Please, sheriff," Furgus wailed wearily. "Get to the point."

"Okay, okay. Anyway, I found Bad Bill there, unconscious and seriously injured. But now he has vanished. "

He waited for a reaction. Some people whispered words with each other. Most of them strummed tiredly with their eyes. Only Elgin raised his voice, and maybe he spoke for all people.

"And what has that got to do with us?"

"Well," Rango cleaned his throat. "All what I want to say is, that you have to help me to find him. Yes, that's what you should do. "

"We shall sacrifice our sleep for him?" Mrs. Daisy asked in disgust, who had not had positive experiences with Bill.

"Listen, sheriff. If it had happened to one of us, he wouldn't have done that for us. He would just let us rot. "

"Like it happened to the poor Mister Merrimack," murmured Mrs. Oats sadly.

"Not forgetting the water conspiracy," Elgin added.

"Maybe he's already at home," Waffles guessed.

Rango thought for a moment. At home? Possible. But what if the doctor wasn't wrong with that. Would Bill drag himself home with such serious wounds? Or had it been his people who had taken him away? All things were possible. But what was right and, above all, what if that was not the case and in fact Bill was in mortal danger? What risk was greater now?

"Okay, you could be right. Nevertheless, I would prefer search with you the environs. "

At first there was silence.

"And what do we get out of it?" Spoon asked mischievously.

The other city dwellers agreed with him.

"Yes, it will get us into trouble only."

"Where Bill shows up, there is always trouble."

"Nobody wants to get involved."

Rango narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "People, people. Remember, he is also a city member. Although a very ... well ... nasty rowdy. But as an official, I cannot and will not allow that any of us, even a stranger, will be harmed without go to court. No. All cases are within my area of responsibility. And that Bill perishes because of a crime, I have to disallow. Well, either you help me to find him, or I have to sue you all for denial of assistance! "

"Mr. Rango," the doctor whispered to him from behind. "Don't you think, you overdo things?"

"That's the only way to shanghai them," Rango hissed back softly.

Meanwhile, the city people had agreed among themselves.

"All right, sheriff," Elgin spoke. "But if a serious incident comes after that, then you bear the blame."

Rango took it as casually as possible. "Incurring guilt is one of my dead albatrosses around my neck that I have to wear as a sheriff."

* * *

It did not take long and they set up a search party.

The women searched with lanterns on foot in the vicinity of the city, while the others were searching the city area far outside with their roadrunners.

Rango rode with Wounded Bird. First, at the scene of the accident, then around. But instead of an expected hot scent, this time it was a flop.

"Sheriff," Wounded Bird shouted against the wind after a while. "Find no traces. Wind is too strong. "

Rango had to accept it, too. And when the others came back unsuccessfully from their search, there was a last option for Rango.

"Fine," he said decisively, adjusting his hat. "Then I'll have to ask his people. I need a clue at least. "

He turned to a group of city people.

"Where exactly can I find Bill's hideout?"


	4. Captured

If there was a moment in Bill's life where he felt really bad, then the time had come now. No sooner, he had regained consciousness than the pain almost rushed to him, as if it had been waiting for an attacking moment. The Gila Lizard drew in a sharp breath, not only because of pain, but also a queasy feeling like he had never had before. He wanted to leave his body and run away.

He breathed hard and tried to move, but the ropes that he soon felt around his hands and feet made an escape impossible. Nevertheless, he made several violent movements to free himself somehow. Like a madman he pulled and dragged on the shackles until he was nearly killed in pain and his head sank groaning on the floor. The ground was hard and rocky. A cave? The air was cold and musty. But it was impossible for him to keep a clear head. His head was pounding. If his physical torture had been worse, he would have cried. So he stayed lying down and tried to ignore the pain somehow. He listened as he heard footsteps outside. Shortly thereafter, the door was unlocked. Bill closed his eyes and pretended he would be still unconscious.

"Do you really think, they will pay the amount, which we demand from them?" a deep man's voice said.

"They have to pay," a second man's voice replied. "Unless they don't bother about how their boss is doing."

The stranger looked down at Bill with a contemptuous expression. The lizard could feel his cold eyes on his back and a shiver ran through him. But he didn't move.

"But that's only possible, as long as he doesn't take a dirt nap before," said the other stranger.

Bill felt that one of the people push the bandage aside on his stomach wound. For a moment it got uncomfortably cold there.

"If he doesn't get medical attention as soon as possible, he'll bleed to death."

"Let him bleed," said the other one and snorted contemptuously. "His people will get a corpse anyway."

"But you said ..."

"That they will get him back if they pay. But not dead or alive. "

The person next to Bill stood up indignantly. "I do not want anything to do with murder!"

"Who is talking about murder? We only had to hurt him a bit, so that he doesn't behave mischievously. Therefore, it's a regrettable accident that he might not survive. "

"But…"

"Now shut up! Whatever! If it means a lot to you, then apply a new dressing, and that was about it. Roger that?"

The other one wanted to protest first, but then he shut his mouth and nodded.

Then they left the room again and left Bill alone.

Groaning, the lizard turned on his back. His head ached terribly, but despite all he knew that he wasn't in good hands.

* * *

It was not long before Bill heard footsteps again. The lizard quickly lay down on the side and closed his eyes. Shortly thereafter, the door was opened and closed again. The person laid something down beside him on the floor and removed the old dressing from the abdominal wound. Bill felt reptile hands, but he didn't want to look at the stranger yet.

"Damn it," the person cursed softly.

Disgusted, she folded the old, blood-soaked bandage and replaced it with a new thicker bandage.

"If I had needle and thread at least," Bill heard him. "He will die off here."

He touched his leg.

"That's not an awful lot better," the stranger muttered disapprovingly. "Meh, at least there is no bullet in there. Um, better I disinfect them again. "

With these words he reached for the alcohol bottle, which stood in the wooden box.

This time, Bill could not play the unconscious man. As soon as the alcohol touched his wound, he yelled.

The stranger chuckled mockingly.

"Did you have a good nap?"

The Gila lizard hissed threateningly and moved himself on his back, what wasn't easy with tied hands and legs. Next to the stranger lay an old oil lamp. He wasn't wrong. It was a big lizard, who kneeled in front of him. Maybe a goanna or something.

Bill's lips trembled terribly. "Bastard!" he hissed.

"Call us what you will. It was a mistake to compete with us."

Bill pressed his teeth together while the other one was continuing his work. Did that dirty guy wash his hands? It didn't look like.

"I hope you have a good connection to God," the other lizard muttered darkly.

"How so?"

"Because it might be that you won't survive the next few hours."


	5. Meanwhile…

"I wanna go back to my warm bed," Rango thought wailingly, when a cold squall was blowing into his face. He felt shivery. He felt so damn ugly, but he wanted to have an answer. He didn't want to call up the others to ride with him, in case, if he was wrong. For this reason, he preferred to ride alone.

It was still late in the night.

"Well, the moon is shining at least," he muttered and looked to the sky.

Meanwhile, he had reached the hills, which didn't lay far away from town. He was passing some big rocks like the town people told him.

He yawned loudly. "UHHHaaaa… I need my bedAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Suddenly, something big and strong grabbed him with large force and yanked him up in the air.

For a short moment, Rango didn't know where was top and bottom. Everything was spinning around him until some burning eyes looked into his face.

"Well, well, well," a familiar said. "If I were a stupid animal and hadn't recognized that incomparable voice, I had already killed you."

Rango swallowed, when the rattlesnake squeezed him a little more.

"Good evening Jake, or good night. Well, I don't mean, it should be a time for sleeping, you know…"

"SShhh," Jake hissed. "I don't like strenuous talks at so late an hour. But I know, my stomach is empty."

"Isn't it a little too late for a midnight snack?" Rango asked carefully.

"If we make a game before it, maybe I will forget my hunger."

Rango forced a smile. "Nice offer, but not yet. I'm sorry Jake, I'm on a mission."

With that Rango tried to wriggle himself out of snake coils, but Jake didn't loosen his grasp.

"So, does exist something more important than me?"

"Oh, don't be silly, Jake," Rango tried to make a joke. "Now, let me down. I haven't much time."

"Oh, really? I was hoping you'd chat with me a little."

"Later, maybe. But not now. I'm really in a rush."

Suddenly Jake wrapped his body closer around the chameleon.

Rango gasped for air, when Jake pressed his nose on his nose. "So, what's so important?"

"I guess, that someone wanted to kill someone, and I want to find out, whether this person is alright or it was a mistake."

"And who?"

"Why do you want to know?"

Rango swallowed. Jake hated Bill beside some others.

"Why don't you answer, or do I have to squeeze it out of you?"

"Bad Bill," Rango said quickly, but he got the squeeze anyway.

"Well, you spend your time with that stinky lizard rather than with me?"

Jake's eyes became redder.

"Jake, please. I have no ti-."

He gasped. Jake began to choke him.

"May-be- a-nother- time-," Rango panted.

"Alright. It's too dark to make a fight."

He released the chameleon instantly and the sheriff slumped on the sandy ground.

"Watch out for your environment, sheriff," Jake said and slithered away. "There are hungry animals in the near, who could kill you."

With that the rattlesnake disappeared.

With a groan, Rango stood up and cleaned his clothes.

"Such a scoundrel," he muttered and rubbed his ribs.

* * *

Kinski stood speechless in the room and read through the letter again. Then he let it sink in his hands and looked perplexedly at his comrades, Stump and Chorizo.

"Where did you find it?" Kinski asked at Stump.

"I already told you. At the door, rammed with a knife in the wood."

"They mean it seriously," Chorizo muttered and pointed at the paper. "Look at that blurred bloodstain on it."

"It's real blood," Kinski agreed. "But it could also be blood from whatever."

"What do they demand?" Chorizo asked.

"100 gold nuggets."

"Consarn it! Why no water? We could have stolen it in Dirt with ease."

Suddenly someone knocked at the door of the old hut.

Kinski put the letter away and looked around one. With unsure eyes, they stared at the door.

Who was visiting them in the middle of the night?

Stump and Chorizo shrugged their shoulders. Kinski sighed and began to speak.

"Who is there?"

"The sheriff."

All three looked at each other with irritation until they took out their guns and stepped next to the door. Clicking sounds made a circuit when they were making ready their guns.

"What do you want, Sheriff?" Kinski asked loudly. "It's late. Couldn't you wait until the sun comes out?"

"I have no time to observe the time," Rango's voice came from behind the wood. "It's a matter of urgency. Is Bill with you?"

Kinski and Chorizo looked at each other with surprise.

"Why do you ask?" Kinski asked back distrustfully.

"Answer my question," Rango replied. He didn't want to embarrass the gang leader if he was wrong and Bill was okay. "Is he at home or not?"

Chorizo gave Kinski a sign. "That sounds suspicious, doesn't it? Do you think he sent us the letter?"

"With real blood?" Kinski scratched his hair. "What sort of new awful police methods should these be?"

"Hello!" Rango's voice sounded eager. "I have no time the whole night. Is he there or not?"

Kinski pointed at Stump, then his finger pointed backwards. "Go through the back door."

Stump looked at him irritated. "We have a back door?"

"Through the window," Kinski hissed.

"Ah, okay."

With that Stump disappeared.

Rango crossed his arms and looked at the blocked door nervously.

Something wasn't right. If Bill was home, he wouldn't make such a stupid game. Maybe.

With a deep sigh, he took his gun and walked along the house to the corner.

"That's childish," he began with calm voice. "If you don't shoot me, I will not shoot you. Come out."

He leaned against the house wall.

He didn't wait long until Stump peeked around the corner.

"What's your wish, sheriff? We didn't rob a gold mine yet."

"So, that was your plan? Guys, stay there. I have a nervous gun in my hand. Don't force me to wake it up."

Kinski and Chorizo who had already opened the door, stopped and stayed in the door frame.

Rango turned around and pointed at his revolver.

"Boys, I think we can talk like sane adults and can put away our dangerous toys."

Kinski snorted. But then he agreed and all put their guns away.

Rango nodded with satisfaction. "Nice."

He put his revolver back into the holster and walked by Kinski and Chorizo into the hut. Stump followed him.

Rango tried to stay relaxed and crossed his arms on his back.

"Well, I see, Bill isn't at home, is he?"

He felt the eyes of the gang members and turned around.

"What do you want, sheriff?" Kinski asked again and closed the door.

"What concern is it of yours where Bill is?" Stump asked.

"Yes, and…" Chorizo thought about what he should say next. "Ehm… yes."

Rango looked from one to another. "Does one of you know where he is?"

"Why do you want to know it?" Kinski asked back.

Rango's hands tensed a little. "Because I suppose that he could be in troubles."

"What troubles?" Stump crossed his hands behind his head. "We did nothing."

"That's not what I mean. I'm not here to arrest him. No. I think that someone other wants to make troubles to him."

"And who?" Kinski tried to hide his knowledge. All three knew what happened. But why should they speak with a sheriff about criminal personal matters?

"That's an important part of the question, which I want to solve. Because I guess, that Bill was attack in near of Dirt."

He waited for a reaction. But the listeners ignored him.

"That's whack!" Kinski said.

"Well, well." Rango turned around and grabbed something from the table.

"Is that whack, too?"

Kinski bit his underlip.

Rango wagged the blackmailing letter and narrowed his eyes.

"I think we have to talk."


	6. Blackmail

"All right!" The chameleon smashed into the room. "Time to come clear."

He stood behind a large, old wooden table and braced his palms firmly on the table surface.

Kinski, Stump, and Chorizo had seated around the table, staring alternately at him, then at the tabletop.

"Listen, I will not imprison him or one of you, if you tell me where your boss is."

Instead of answering, Kinski folded his arms and leaned back in his chair. The others emulated his deeds.

Rango snorted scathingly and put the letter on the table in front of him.

"If you love the life of your leader," he read. "Then place 1000 gold ducats next to the wells in the Yellow Canyon at midnight. If you fulfill the instruction, you will get him again. If not…"

After this line, a large smeared bloodstain covered the underside of the paper.

Rango's forehead formed a thinking fold.

"Do you have the money for it?", He asked everybody around.

"We wanted to ... um ... make a little raid," Stump said meekly, painting with his fingers on the table.

Rango narrowed his eyes. "But that's not how it works. Blackmail is always in the hands of the judiciary. "

"What should we have done?" Kinski asked sullenly. "Do you think we would get you involved? Our worst-biggest opponent? "

Rango bit his lower lip. "Alright. Maybe not directly. But that's not the point. "

"What do you charge for that?" Chorizo asked.

Rango cleared his throat. "People. I want to help you. "

"And why?" Kinski was still against it. "How should we know that it is not an excuse to jailing us easily?"

"Currently I have no reason to arrest you," Rango replied.

"Do not tease us, Sheriff," Kinski said gruffly. "Our pent-up criminal records are enough for an arrest. You cannot tell us anything else. "

Rango rubbed his neck nervously. "Listen. I found Bill outside of the city a few hours ago. I was at the scene of crime. I'm sure his injuries are more than bad. The blackmailers demand the gold until midnight. That's over 12 hours! I don't believe Bill will survive that. He's probably already dead, or he's about to die. If we don't do something at once, you'll only get a corpse."

"Would not bother us much," Stump muttered softly.

Rango raised his eyebrows admonishingly. "That's the way how you stand together as a team?"

"We're a gang, not a team," Kinski pointed out. "And Bill might understand it. He would rather die than to let himself be helped by you. "

Rango snorted. "I think that probably less. And I know him very well by now."

"But not good enough. And he used to say, no work with police- or lawmen."

"Fine." Rango lowered his head dejectedly. "I admit to myself, Bill does not care for me at all. But he is a member of the city. And if someone wants to hurt him, then I will do that. And if you don't want to help me, then tell me where I can find this place or who is responsible. "

"Find it out yourself," Kinski said, crossing his arms.

"I will do. You bet."

* * *

With disappointment, the chameleon left the hut. Outside, the well-known wind was blowing against him. He was astonished to find that he still held the blackmailing letter in his hand.

Sighing, he let his eyes wander.

Who could he ask now?

Well. At least he had a clue now.

Thoughtfully, he looked closely at the letter. There had to be a trace. The meeting place was certainly not in the neighborhood of the blackmailers. Maybe he could wait until the next midnight hour. Now it was probably after 3 o'clock in the morning. Just 21 hours left.

Rango shook his head. No, that would take too much time. He had to find him if possible tonight.


	7. Confidential talks

With a bad feeling, Rango knocked against a for him familiar door. He had to wait more than one minute, until a light flashed up in the house.

Footsteps walked to the door and stopped.

"Who's there?" a warily female voice asked.

"It's me."

Someone unlocked the door and tired eyes peeked through the door crack.

Rango eyed her. The female wore a light blue nightdress, covered with a purple dressing gown.

The female lizard blinked several times.

"Rango, do you know what time…?"

"I know, my dear. I know. I'm sorry Beans. But I'm afraid it is an emergency."

The iguana rubbed its eyes and looked at him with surprise.

"Something happened?"

"Can I come in?"

Beans sighed and made way for him.

Rango entered a corridor where he crossed a carpet. He knew the house and walked single-mindedly to the dining room. On the wall, there was a cupboard with old dishes. While his first visit in her house, he had made a compliment about the heirlooms of her mother.

Meanwhile Beans had taken her oil lamp and put it on the table.

"Well, what is it now?" she asked and yawned. "I hope you have a good reason to take me out of my bed."

"I have no much time, maybe," Rango continued. "I thought to ask you something before I ride back the long way to town."

Beans narrowed her eyes. It sounded suspiciously for her that he didn't come to the point immediately.

"About what?"

Rango put the letter on the table.

Beans bent forward and eyed the lines.

"What's that?"

She winced. With fingertips, she lifted the paper. "Is that…?"

"Blood? Maybe."

Rango took the letter from her hand and held it before her.

"Could you tell me something about a criminal gang or someone who uses to get gold in the yellow canyon?"

Beans narrowed her eyes more. "Why do you ask me that? Why don't you ask Wounded Bird? Maybe he could tell you more."

"Beans!"

Rangos voice was a little louder. "I know Bill was here a few hours ago, wasn't he?"

Beans blinked.

"How do you…?"

"I met an owl on my way. He talked me he saw how Bill was on the way to you, or at least in your near. Do you know anything?"

Beans bit her underlip.

"No."

Rango rubbed his neck nervously. "Listen, darling. I have reason to believe that he is in danger."

Beans shrugged her shoulders. "His fault."

"What happened?"

Beans lifted her nose. "Nothing what you are thinking."

"That's not what I thought. Of course not. But something wasn't right."

"What do you care?"

"I want to find him."

Beans blinked again, but instead of freezing, she gave him an angry look.

"Rango, did you forget, he wanted to kill…"

"Beans! I never forgot!" He grabbed her on her shoulders. "I will never forget! And I'm not going to forget. And if you don't tell me, I could arrest you because of complicity to murder!"

Beans looked at him with big eyes.

She pushed him away. "How can you talk to me like that?"

"Because it's the truth."

"I never did anything like that. He only asked me out about something! You can be glad, that I'm still alive!"

"Did he attack you?"

Almost. If I hadn't my shotgun, he had done more stupid things."

Rango rubbed his forehead and sighed. "Alright, alright. We can talk about that later. Now, tell me what did you tell him?"

Beans pressed her lips together. But Rango looked at her more than in a pleading way and she surrendered.

"It was late in the noon," she began. "I was cooking the lunch, when someone knocked against the door. I looked out of the window, but nobody stood at the door."

* * *

_Beans narrowed her eyes. It hadn't been the wind. She knew how the wind sounded._

_She left the kitchen and touched for her shotgun. With firmly steps she walked to the house door and opened it. With the long gun in her hands, she entered the terrace and aimed her rifle in all directions._

" _Who is there?!"_

_But beside the wind, nothing was hearable._

_Nervously she walked back into her house. But when she came in the kitchen again, she stopped dead in her tracks._

" _Gidday, Beans."_

_The Gila monster smiled at the sight of Beans's feared and annoyed face. He sat at the kitchen table on a wooden chair and looked at her in a relaxed way._

" _You still hide the key under the back door mat like always."_

_He chuckled and took a sip of a glass of water what he had filled after he had come through the back door._

_Beans felt the gun in her hands and leveled the weapon at him._

_Bill raised his eyebrows and clicked with his tongue. "Oh, c'mon, put the weapon down. It doesn't fit to your cute face."_

_He guided the glass again on his lips. "Be a good girl and come closer. I'm not going to bite you."_

_Slowly the female lowered the gun._

" _Are you afraid?" Bill grinned._

_Beans snorted. "No."_

_With that she put down the rifle into a corner._

_Bill smiled contentedly and waved his hand on the second chair. "Come and sit by me. It's still your house."_

" _Yes, it's still my house," Beans added acrimoniously. "And I want to stand."_

 _Bill shrugged his shoulders. "As you wish,_ _shawty."_

_He put the glass on the table and leaned his head on his bended hand._

" _What do you want?" Beans asked impatiently._

" _Come closer. I don't want to speak so loud."_

_With hesitation, Beans came nearer. She didn't trust him. Was he still angry about the incident in Dirt and wanted to take revenge now? She stopped when she felt the table with her fingertips._

_Bill grinned. "Don't be so shy."_

_He grabbed her arm and pulled her up closer. She could smell the nicotine in his clothes._

" _Come on, babe."_

_She narrowed her eyes with rage._

" _Don't call me like that," she hissed. Her body tensed. His hand wandered higher along her arm._

_She grabbed his hand. "One inch more and you are dead!"_

_He grinned mockingly. "Prickly and unmanageable like always."_

_He let her go. He leaned back in the chair and folded his hands together on his belly._

" _What the heck, but I'm not here to make you comfortable with me. I have been told rumors, that your daddy hid something special in the West Mines."_

" _Never you mind," she hissed._

" _Oh, I think yes."_

_The Gila monster bent forward and put his head on his folded hands. "And if you don't tell me, I could spend the time with something other until you loosen your lips for me."_

_Beans snorted. "Out of my house!"_

_She pointed at the back door. Bill narrowed his eyes. "Don't behave like that, babe," he said indignantly._

" _Even if you rout me out of your hut, I will stay in near until you tell me what I want to know."_

_Beans turned around to reach her rifle, but Bill was faster._

_A clicking sound let the female froze._

_Slowly she turned around. The at her aimed revolver had unlocked._

" _It would be a shame for me to shoot a bullet in your beautiful body."_

* * *

"And what happened next?" Rango asked.

Beans snorted and lifted her nose with pride. "There was no other choice. I told him that my father had hidden something in tunnel 5."

"What did he hide?"

Beans waved her hand. "Don't know. Maybe something valuable, but I never wanted to know. He had a lot of secrets."

Rango brooded over it.

"Maybe he could be there. Does anybody know about it, too?"

"My father met a lot of people in his life. Don't know what he talked with them. I also heard a lot of rumors."

"Did you ever inspect the mines of your father?"

"Truth be told, no. He forbad me to come inside. And I will follow his instructions. He was always right. In every way."

"Alright. So, tell me where can I find the West Mines?"

"You don't want to go there really, do you?"

"I have to do it, honey."

"Alright, but I will company you."

Rango swallowed. "What? I thought you…"

"There are still my mines," she replied. "And by the way, shouldn't we inform the city people?"

Rango shook his head. "No. If I'm wrong, and nobody is in the mines, they will hate me for the rest of my life. They are still angry that I broke their sleep because of Bad Bill."

"Understandable."


	8. Early in the morning

Rango counted minutes until they reached the area of the old mines in the west site of Beans's land, or what was own from her father. The moon was shining brightly and it wasn't difficult for both lizards to find the way. Before they reached the big rocks, they stopped their roadrunners, climbed down and walked the rest of the way by foot. Rango got a bad feeling in his stomach. What if he was wrong and Bill was in another place? And what if it was already too late?

When he was thinking what he could write on Bill's gravestone, Beans came to a hold and looked at the mine mountains, which soared like threatening black giants.

"Alright," Rango said. "And where is tunnel 5?"

Beans pointed in a special direction in the stone wall.

"We have to walk through a tube."

Rango winced when the female lizard unlocked her rifle. "Let's go."

"Yes, that's what I wanted to say, too," Rango added and drew his revolver. Just to be sure.

* * *

"Somebody has been here."

Beans bent down and picked up wooden boards from the ground. "I nailed up the entrance. Someone had broken it."

Rango stretched his head. "In this case, it was Bill or somebody else."

Beans sniffed. "I'm smelling fire."

Rango took a deep breath. "Indeed. A campfire."

Suddenly both winced. Footsteps echoed through the metal tube.

Quickly they left the place and hid themselves behind a rock near the entrance.

No long time and the shadow of a man with a hat and old clothes appeared. They couldn't see whether it was a mammal, a reptile or a bird. The man had drawn his hat deep into his face. In addition, he turned his back at them, lighted a cigarette and threw the matchstick on the floor.

Rango narrowed his eyes annoyed that a bastard used the area of his girlfriend as a rubbish dump.

"What now?" Beans whispered.

Rango rubbed his chin. "How good can you act?"

* * *

The man turned around immediately when he was hearing footsteps and drew his revolver.

"Who's there?"

A girl in dark dress lifted her hands quickly.

"Who are you?" she asked worried. "This area is part of my land, mister."

"Oh, do tell?" The man grinned and came a little closer.

Now Beans could realize it was a thin rodent. Still the cigarette in his mouth. The female circled around him and came to a hold.

"Would you do me a favor and disappear, mister?" she asked with thin voice.

The rodent clicked with his tongue. "Oh, why so fast? You could keep company with one of our guests."

He didn't get around to saying the next sentence. In the next second, he saw stars only and darkness.

"I hope it wasn't too hard," Rango muttered and looked at the prostrated guy.

"I don't think so," Beans calmed him down after he had controlled the pulse. "I'm sure he will come back to consciousness very soon."

Rango nodded and put away the gun with that he hit the man.

"Well, I'm curious how much more visitor we will meet inside."

"Me, too," Beans added and together they walked through the tube.

"There is one point I don't understand," Beans said quietly. "If Bill was here, why did he come to town?"

Rango shrugged the shoulders. "I don't know, Beans. Maybe after he had been here, they haunted him and wanted to hide in town, who knows. Quiet."

They had reached the end of the tube. From here they could overlook the main part of the mine area, which had surrounded by high rocks. Bridges and wooden sidewalks crossed the place and on a stone platform, there burned a campfire.

Around the fire, five men were sitting there and changed some words from time to time.

The lizards looked at each other. Beans waved his hand at him and guided him along a way where he could come closer without that someone seeing them.

On the last few meters, they climbed up a ladder and no long time and they could see that a man came out from the tunnel. He came up to a man, a desert rabbit, next to the campfire and sat down.

Few seconds, there was silence.

"And?" the man asked who seemed to wait for the other man. "Is he dead?"

The man, who was a lizard, shook his head. "Not yet. I give him just a few hours."

The other man shrugged his shoulders. "As he wishes. I don't care. We have much more important things to do. What about the search in tunnel 5?"

"Jim and John were here over 30 minutes ago," a desert mouse said. "Maybe they will be back to give us some news."

"I hope so," the desert rabbit said. "I'm angry enough that the Gila monster wanted to make troubles to us. But this problem seems to solve itself soon."

Rango and Beans didn't need more information to know that they were in the right place.

"We have to lure them away from the cave," Rango muttered.

He looked at Beans.

"All at once?" she asked. "How do you want to do it?"

"Did your father store dynamite here?"

* * *

The first sign of the early dawning appeared in the sky. The mine area lay calm and peaceful in the mine valley. Suddenly a loud deafening explosion quaked the air.

The men who were sitting on the fire, jumped up with a start.

"What the hell have you done?!" the desert rabbit asked with rage.

"We don't…"

"Don't talk rubbish!" he cut the words of his companion and unlocked his gun. Then he ran with the others to the explosion place.

* * *

"Are you really sure what are you doing?" Rango asked. He didn't like to see how a nice girl like Beans plied with dynamite.

The girl gave him an angry look and Rango closed his mouth again.

Together they watched how the bandits were running over a bridge. When the last one crossed it, Beans lighted the next fuse. And no long time and the bridge exploded in a cloud of smoke.

Rango took his hat and waved away the dust. "I hope we didn't wake up the dead men in the tunnels."

Beans shrugged her shoulders. "Never mind. We have no much time. We destroyed the bridges for the short way, but they can still use other side bridges."

Rango nodded. "Alright, let's go."


	9. Fight before breakfast

Together the two lizards ran into the tunnel. Beans grabbed for an oil lamp which hung at the entrance of the cave and walked forward with fast steps. She knew the tunnels like her home so that Beans had a guess where Bill could be. They followed the tunnel until they reached a wooden door.

"He could be here," she said and grabbed the door handle.

It wasn't blockaded and they entered a cold, stuffy room. It wasn't difficult with the oil lamp and they saw the Gila monster lying on the floor. Still tied and motionless.

Rango was a little relieved, but also a little worried. It was many hours ago when he found him in front of the town.

"Bill?"

But the Gila monster didn't reply to his question.

Both lizards kneeled down and rolled the bigger lizard around, because he was laying on the side. Beans held the lamp higher to get an overview about the state of the Gila monster.

Rango's eyes fell at the unprofessional treated injuries on the belly and leg. Carefully, he removed the bandages which had filled with old blood.

"Geez," Beans muttered and held the lamp more down. "It doesn't look good."

"I see," Rango admitted and touched around the wounds.

Suddenly Bill wailed a weak moan and blinked.

Rango bent forward and tapped his cheeks. "Hey, can you hear… ouch!"

The push of Bill's shoulder let Rango froze.

"You - are - the last face - what I wanna see," Bill panted weakly.

Rango narrowed his eyes and rubbed his ribs. "Hello to you, too."

Both lizards stood up when the Gila monster began to move, again without success to free himself from the shackles.

Suddenly Beans walked forwards and braced her feet against the Gila monster's chest.

"Listen, William! I didn't blow up my father's work place for nothing, just to get out a fat idiot like you!" She held the lamp directly in his face and Bill had to close his eyes dazzled by the light. "And if you don't behave, I have no problems to let you here to have a problem less. Do you get it?!"

Normally Bill had answered with a casual patter, but he was too weak and filled with pain and for this reason he just nodded than to disagree.

"I'm happy to hear that." Beans loosened her pressure and released the lizard again.

Bill meanwhile had leaned himself against the wall with effort and panted heavily.

Rango gave Beans a sign. "Help me to loosen his bonds."

Beans found a sharp tool, with that it was possible to cut through the cords around Bill's hands and legs.

"Alright," Rango said and touched Bill's shoulders. "Bend forward."

Bill hated his helpless situation. Especially if that chameleon dictated to do what he said, but he had no other choice. With pressed lips he leaned over so that Beans could reach the hand shackles. Rango propped up the heavy upper body and felt how Bill trembled.

It wasn't easy for Beans to cut through the ropes, because they were tied together very tight.

Bill muttered some cursing words when the rope loosened. He gasped for air when he could lean back and Beans continued with his tied legs.

After the releasing Bill closed his eyes and enjoyed the regained freedom. At least around him.

"Do you have pain?" Rango asked.

Bill hissed angrily. "Do I look so? Ahhhhh! Stop it!"

Beans took back her hands from Bill's wound. "Sorry for this. But at least the strong bleeding stopped, but I guess you lost a lot of blood."

"Be my nurse and you win a prize," Bill panted sarcastically. "Hell! Do you wanna let me here or do you wanna…?"

"Bill!" Beans warned.

The Gila monster gasped for air and held the belly. "Damn!"

"It's okay," Rango said and kneeled next to him to calm him down. "Don't worry. We will bring you to Doc."

"Rango." Beans kneeled beside him and touched his shoulder. "Rango, a doctor will be not enough. He needs a hospital."

"We have none."

"There is a one several miles away," she said. "But I don't think he can ride the whole way."

For the first time Rango saw lines of worry on her forehead. Of course, she had no sympathy for Bill, but it wasn't a fair fight while he was lying there almost dead.

Rango rubbed his forehead. "We need a cart."

"How should we get it?"

Rango sighed. "Could you?"

Beans distorted her mouth. Suddenly Bill grabbed her arm, but not in an aggressive way. She could see his face and his pressure with his hand, gave her the feeling of a pleading sign.

The female lizard avoided his glance. "Alright. I will do."

At the same moment she jumped up. "Damn, we have to hurry! They could come back soon!"

"Alright, do you think you can stand up?" Rango asked.

Bill took a deep breath. "I - try."

Rango got a worse feeling in his stomach. If Bill didn't protest against an order from him, he must feel really bad. But it couldn't work without Beans and together they managed to heft the big lizard on his shaking feet. Bill had no much force to keep himself on his feet and Rango and Beans could feel how exhausted the Gila monster really was.

"Let's go out."

Together they left the room, but it wasn't fast enough with Bill. Rango became more nervous with every slow step. They could almost be there. But it was impossible to run. Bill had effort to shift from one foot to the other.

When they almost reached the exit, their hearts stopped for a brief moment.

"My, my," a shadow said mockingly. "Does somebody plan to leave our hotel?"

Rango swallowed.

"Stay there if you want to stay healthy. Jim, call the others."

Beans and Rango sighed. They had forgotten the two other bandits who were searching in the tunnel 5.

In Rango's head, there was chaos. What should they do now?

He was ready to use his gun, when shots were hearable outside.

"What the…"

But suddenly a dark huge shadow grabbed the gunman and tugged him outside.

Rango and Beans had no idea what's going on.

And as fast as it began, as fast it stopped.

There was a dead silence in the air.

The lizards gave way their knees almost and decided daring to leave the cave.

Outside, the sun lighted the sky into a dark blue. And in the twilight sat a big silhouette.

All winced, but the familiar shadow kept calm.

The rattlesnake blew over the barrel of his Gatling Gun.

"I didn't it for it," Jake said darkly and pointed his glance at Bill. "It's still a matter between me and you."

"What about the watchman?"

"He is waiting for Saint Peter in heaven," Jake commented and laughed.

"It was just a foretaste for our next meeting. Be ready for it."

"Alright, but not…"

"Not today. But tomorrow, maybe. Be ready."

Rango nodded. "I will be ready."

With that they part ways.

Beans rode with her roadrunner back to her ranch and brought the cart.

Rango remained with Bill and gave him something to drink from time to time.

"Hey, don't fall asleep!" Rango warned and chucked the Gila monster's cheeks. At this moment, Beans arrived.

"At least you are here," Rango said with relief.

"It didn't work faster."

Rango didn't want to discuss. Both had much bother to bring Bill into the cart.

"Bill," Rango pleaded exhausted. "I ask too much from you, but please, put yourself together and help us."

Bill took a deep breath and with last forces he grabbed the wooden boards of the cart and pulled himself up. With loud bounce he let fall himself into the cart ground. And this was the last move what he managed to do. Motionlessly he stayed lying there.

Beans rolled a blanket and put it under his head, another one about his body.

"Alright boy," Rango said cheerfully and gave him a last pat on his arm. "Keep up."

After that, he climbed down and Beans actuated the cart with the peccary.

Rango sat himself on his roadrunner and rode next to them.

* * *

_A short while later…_

"Alright guys," Kinski said. "Let's go!"

With guns in their hands the three outlaws jumped out from behind the rock and waved their guns in all directions.

"Hands up, buddy!"

They aimed their weapons at the man who lay on the ground.

"Are you deaf?" Kinski added and tapped with the barrel on him.

"Uh, Kinski?" Chorizo said. "I think he doesn't live anymore."

"Really?" Kinski checked it out. "Indeed. Ooookay. Let's check the mine."

"At least Bill said that he wanted to go to Beans's mines this night," Stump muttered and together they crossed the tube. When they saw the dead bodies around, Kinski locked his revolver. "I think the party is already over."

With disappointment, they put away their guns.

"And what now?"

Kinski scratched his head. "I guess someone was faster than we."

Chorizo kicked away a stone. "Damn it."

He watched how the stone rolled against one of the bandit corpses. Stump came nearer and took a closer look.

"Hey, does that face look familiar a little?"


	10. Cold rays of dawn

Rango held his hand over his eyes when the first sun beams were shining over the hills. It was still fresh, but it warmed him.

Beans rode fast but not too fast.

From time to time Rango took a look into the cart, where Bill lay. He moaned sometimes. The pain tortured him. Rango sighed, but he could do nothing for him. Just riding as fast as they could to reach the hospital.

Rango had no knowledge where the hospital stood, but he trusted Beans and followed her.

* * *

Rango slowed down the speed a little when they passed a sign.

" _Skull hospital,_ " he read. What kind of hospital name was that?

He didn't need more time to understand, when they passed a big buffalo skull who lay next to a big wooden house. The building had three stories.

Beans leaded the cart close to the entrance.

Rango stopped next to her. Beans had climbed down and ran to the entrance into the house.

Rango didn't know what he should do now and walked to Bill. He climbed on the cart and touched the Gila monster's arm. "Hey, we are there."

Bill sighed, but he didn't open his eyes.

At this moment, Beans came back. A mammal in white coat, maybe a kind of badger followed her.

* * *

Nervously Rango sat on a wooden bench. He was waiting for more than one hour. Now he was forced to stay in a corridor until the doctor would come and give him a report.

Rango sighed and looked around. The hospital was still like in the end of the 19-th century. Wooden lacquered walls, with white and black, brown wood, nurses with white clothes who went along the corridor like this time.

"It wonders me why they didn't bring him to the hospital in East Desert," one nurse said to her colleague.

"Yes, it would be nearer than ours."

Rango stood up. "Excuse me, madams."

Both squirrels stood still. "Do you speak about a Gila monster?"

"You mean which came here in the morning? Yes. Where did you find him? In the area of Dirt?"

The chameleon nodded. "Yes, we did."

"No, we only talked about that you didn't seem to know that there is a much nearer hospital St. Antonius. But maybe you didn't know."

"How is he?" Rango spoke.

"Doctor is still with him. We don't know."

"Okay," Rango said disappointedly. "Thank you."

The nurses nodded and disappeared.

Silently Rango sat down again.

Why did Beans bring Bill here and not in the nearer hospital? Rango's stomach tensed up. Was Beans in hope that Bill would…

Rango couldn't imagine. Or did Beans hate Bill so much that she would risk the life of him?

"Rango?"

Rango looked up and Beans handed him a cup of coffee.

He forced a smile. "Uh… Thank you."

She sat herself next to him. "Anything?"

"Not yet. The doctor is still with him."

Beans nodded and blew over her coffee cup.

Rango looked at her from the side. "Beans?"

"Yes?"

"Why…?" He bit his underlip. "Uh… what are you thinking about Bill?"

Beans lowered her cup. "What do you mean?"

"Well, would you have also brought him to a hospital if I wasn't there?"

He couldn't ask her the question what he wanted to ask.

Beans sighed annoyed. "Bill is an idiot, I admit. I wouldn't feel sorry for him if someone shoots him a bullet in his head."

Rango nodded. "And why now?"

"Bill is living in town long time. And to say the truth, I'm not so sorry for him."

She avoided his glance. Rango nodded sympathetically. "Maybe you are right."

He remembered very well how he met Bill for the first time. And it wasn't a nice memory.

"But I'm not like him."

She blew again over her cup and took a sip. "And don't ask me more. Be glad that I brought a cart."

Rango swallowed. "Alright."

He winced. Footsteps came closer.

The badger in white coat was leaving a room and walked down the corridor in their direction.

Both lizards stood up.

Rango hated to ask that question. "How is he?"

"Almost. He had almost lost his leg. But maybe he would be dead anyway. But I can calm you. His condition is still critical, but not in mortal danger. With some luck he will get better soon. He is tough."

Rango sighed with relief. Beans snorted a little.

"Can we see him?"

The doctor shrugged his shoulders. "As you wish, but he is still unconscious."

"It doesn't matter."

They walked into a room, which looked like the other part of the building, but the room had equipped with modern instruments. Bill lay in a bed with white bedclothes. In his arm stuck a needle connected with an infusion and some cables stuck on his chest for the heart rate monitor.

When the doctor saw Rango's surprised face, he smirked. "We try to buy the newest machines for our patients. We aren't so obsolete like we look."

"Oh, I see."

"Rango, I will go home now," Beans said and went back into the corridor.

"Why do you want to go?" Rango asked and followed her.

"I think we can't do more. He is in good hands, and I have to work at home. What about you?"

"I will stay here until he wakes up."

She shrugged her shoulders. "In this case, I have to report the others that you will stay away for a while."

"And you really don't want to stay here?"

"I will not do him the favor to see me after waking up. I know how he is looking at me sometimes."

Rango chuckled a little. Beans twisted her mouth. Then she turned around.

"See you."

Rango followed her with his eyes. "Bye. And thanks."

Beans didn't answer and waved her hand with disgust.

Rango sighed.

"Who's the brain behind that to bring him here?" the doctor asked.

"Hers." Rango answered shortly.

"That was a good idea."

"How so?"

"The nearest would be the St. Antonius hospital, but maybe he would be dead after that."

"Why?"

"As I know, the doctor nurses a grievance against him, after Bill had deprived of money after a fraud with his cousin. I'm sure he had given him the death syringe."

Rango stared at the doctor. Then he understood. A warm smile played his mouth.

"That was the reason. And I thought…"

"I beg your pardon?" the doctor asked.

"Oh, nothing. Uhm… sorry for my question, but why does a buffalo skull lay next to the house?"

"It's our sign for good luck."

"Uh, aha… nice."


	11. The sun is shining

Rango rubbed his tired eyes. His first plan was to catch up on the sleep from last night. But he wasn't in the mood to take a nap. He wanted to keep awake and was sitting on a chair in the room where Bill was lying. Rango blinked and watched the Gila monster, which had given no sound until now. The sound of the heart machine worked regularly at least.

The chameleon shook his head. What should he do with him? He still had to think about their first duel, the fight in the city. He couldn't forgive him the murder of Mister Merrimack.

Rango took his revolver and opened the magazine. It wasn't his right to shoot him down. But otherwise, what will happen if he didn't kill him someday?

He looked at the Gila monster again. He looked so harmless when he was sleeping. But he was also a bid danger for his town.

Rango clapped together the magazine.

He was a sheriff. Not a bounty hunter.

He put the gun away. He didn't want to think about it anymore. He sighed deeply and drew his hat deeper into his face. Maybe he should try to sleep a little. Just for few minutes.

* * *

The sun had already reached the afternoon, when a faster sound filled the room. The Gila monster took a deep breath before it opened its eyes. First, everything was blurred. But second after second, he realized details. White walls, white bedclothes. He blinked heavily. Sun shined through a window. Or was that heaven?

Suddenly the lizard sat up immediately when he saw a familiar figure in a corner of the room. On a chair sat the sheriff, the hat deep into his face and the hands folded on his belly.

The heart frequency speeded up. With anger Bill pulled of the cables from his chest.

A long never-ending bleep echoed through the room. Shortly after running steps bounced through the corridor.

The door was torn open and the doctor ran inside. In anticipation of a dead patient, a living lizard expected him.

"Are you crazy!" he cried, also relieved and angry that it wasn't an asystole.

Meanwhile Rango had woken up and stood up.

"What is that idiot doing here?" Bill said loudly. "Is there no day where I don't have to see you?"

"Good day," Rango said and crossed his arms.

"Alright, alright," the doctor said and had tranquilized again. "Calm down and relax. That's not good for your health."

"Don't make me mad. I wanna out of here!"

Bill swung the blanket aside, but shortly after he had lifted up, he moaned loudly and hunched in pain.

"Either you stay calm," the doctor warned. "Or I have to narcotize you!"

Bill growled, but he nodded and lay down.

The doctor gave him some painkillers and controlled the vital functions.

"It doesn't look bad, but do yourself the favor and don't strain you. It's a miracle that you survived."

Bill snorted. He hated it so much to be dependent on someone who could kill him.

After a while the doctor left the room and Rango remained alone with him.

"You are really a stubborn guy," Rango said.

Bill growled loudly.

"Keep your verdicts for you. Why are you still here?"

Rango shrugged his shoulders. "Why is a sheriff in near of a gunslinger?"

Bill crossed his arms.

"And what are you going to do now? Arresting me?"

"I leave it at a reprimand. But next time…"

Bill narrowed his eyes.

"Do I have birthday today?" he asked sarcastically.

Rango sighed and lowered his glance. He wasn't in the mood to make a discussion with him. He was tired enough. But he was of the opinion the Gila monster had suffered enough for a day.

"Answer me one question," he changed the topic.

Bill hissed. "I found nothing in the tunnels, if that is your question."

"Why did you come to town last night?"

The Gila monster tensed with anger. "None of your beeswax!"

Rango grinned. "The bandits followed you, didn't they, after you have been in the tunnels, am I right?"

"I say nothing," Bill replied angrily.

"And after you couldn't reach your hiding place in the hills you wanted to find safety in town. In my town."

"If you think I wanted to ask you for holding my hand, you are completely wrong! It's more than a shaming that you found me with that bitch."

"Don't talk about her like that!" Rango warned. "I don't await a special thanks from you, but you can keep your insults for someone other, alright?"

With that the chameleon lifted his nose and wanted to leave the room.

"Sheriff?"

Rango looked at him.

"It will nothing change between us."

"Of course." Rango had nothing other expected. But then he stopped again.

"And another thing…"

"No blackmailing, sheriff!"

"Here."

Rango picked something up from a little table.

"You lost it."

With that he put the bowler hat on the big lizard's lap. "Watch out for it in the future. And on yourself."

"I'm not a kid," Bill growled and put the hat on his head.

"In this case keep distance from Beans's land. Otherwise I have to get tough."

"Don't make me a proposal."

"That's what I will never do. Bye."

With that Rango left the room and Bill stayed alone.

For a while there was silence until…

"Is he gone?"

Bill looked with surprise when Stump's head looked through the door frame.

"How did you come here?" The Gila monster asked.

"Hi, buddy!" Now Kinski and Chorizo appeared behind Stump. "Nice to see you."

"Don't talk sobstuff," Bill said. "And where have you been? Because of your delay, I had that stupid sheriff on my heels."

"We were going to get you out, but you were already gone," Kinski explained and together they surrounded the bed.

"Does he want to arrest you?" Stump asked.

Bill snorted. "Whatever. Something new?"

Stump grinned. "Indeed. And we have something for you."

Please no flowers, Bill thought.

Stump took something out and threw it on the blanket.

It was a little sack.

Bill snorted. "What's that? Sweets?"

Kinski chuckled. "Open it."

With sigh Bill took it and looked inside.

"What the…?"

Bill couldn't believe when he took out a gold nugget.

"Our reward," Chorizo explained.

"Yeah, there was a bounty on the heads of the bandits which kidnapped you. We took the dead bodies and collected the rewards."

Bill was still speechless.

"By the way, what did you find in the tunnels?" Stump asked.

"What? Eh… nothing yet."

"I think we don't need it for a while, do we?" Kinski said.

"What shall we buy with that?", Chorizo asked.

"A television!" Stump cried. "With over 300 channels."

"No, I wanna have a card for free for a bowling game."

"What about a roadrunner-racing bet?"

Bill watched his henchmen discussing and yawned. He was so tired. While the three companions made one suggestion after another, he winced softly when a strong wind gust blew around the building. The Gila monster looked out of the window. The sun was shining but the wind still didn't leave the area.

 _"It might be that you won't survive the next few hours,"_ it echoed through his mind and let him ran a shiver over his skin.

Despite he had told the sheriff that he would never thank for that, he was very relieved and intended to spare the town for a little while. Just a little while.

\- The end -


End file.
